Processes and process change

What the publications show

1. Several publications argue that AI only delivers large gains once processes are redesigned. A Norwegian article sees the ideas of business process reengineering returning, while many of the old risks remain.

   University of South-Eastern Norway, 2026 (opens in a new window) · Harvard University, 2026 (opens in a new window) · University of Applied Sciences Mainz, 2026 (opens in a new window)

2. Reported gains vary widely. A Harvard article, drawing on practical examples, cites reporting time cut by 92 per cent, while a Morgan State survey of 120 practitioners finds that AI usually lands in processes gradually and locally.

   Harvard University, 2026 (opens in a new window) · Morgan State University, 2026 (opens in a new window)

3. Research in the UK pharmaceutical sector describes managers moving from control to setting boundaries now that AI is part of processes. The Morgan State survey finds that formal governance is less common than use itself.

   University of Liverpool, 2026 (opens in a new window) · Morgan State University, 2026 (opens in a new window)

4. Two simulation studies find modest gains. In a Slovak study, the lead time for applications for support fell by at most 12.8 per cent, and at the University of Basilicata the lead time of an education process fell by at most 8 per cent.

   University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, 2026 (opens in a new window) · University of Basilicata, 2025 (opens in a new window)

5. In car manufacturing and housebuilding, the publications locate the delays in how the process is organised. Roland Berger sees China’s manufacturing advantage as more than a matter of labour costs, and TNO points to the planning phase, in which municipality, client and builder work one after another.

   Roland Berger, 2026 (opens in a new window) · TNO, 2026 (opens in a new window)

Topics within processes and process change

This list shows what the publications on this theme are about, with the number for each topic. Open a topic to see its publications; if a topic has a briefing, the link is underneath.

• Redesigning processes with AI5 publications

  • Business Process Reengineering in the Age of Generative and Agentic AI: Translation, Persistence, and Renewed Relevance · University of South-Eastern Norway, 2026
  • The Agent-Centric Enterprise: Why 2–10x Productivity Gains Demand Radical Workflow Redesign · Harvard University, 2026
  • Integrating Generative AI Into Organizational Workflows: Evidence From Practitioner Reports · Morgan State University, 2026
  • Leadership adaptation and business process management in the age of generative AI: evidence from UK pharmaceuticals · University of Liverpool, 2026
  • Technological and geopolitical disruptions shaping processes and organization design: implications for purchasing and supply management · University of Applied Sciences Mainz, 2026
  Briefing: Automating tasks versus redesigning work around AI →
• Governing AI2 publications

  • Integrating Generative AI Into Organizational Workflows: Evidence From Practitioner Reports · Morgan State University, 2026
  • Leadership adaptation and business process management in the age of generative AI: evidence from UK pharmaceuticals · University of Liverpool, 2026
• Process modelling and simulation3 publications

  • Optimizing State Aid Processes During COVID-19 in the Slovak Republic: Model, Simulation, and Savings · University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, 2026
  • Process Transformation at the University of Basilicata: Mapping, Digitalization, and Enhanced Transparency · University of Basilicata, 2025
  • Business Process Redesign for IT‐OT Convergence in Industry 4.0 · University of South-Eastern Norway, 2026
• Goals and process design2 publications

  • The BPM Goal Hexagon: an update to the Devil’s Quadrangle · South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, 2026
  • Efficient by Design: Using Behavioral Nudges to Eliminate Errors and Unlock High-Performance Operations · The Chicago School, 2026
• Slow car manufacturing and housebuilding2 publications

  • "China Speed Light" Possible in Europe: Production Advantage Is Not Driven by Labor Costs Alone · Roland Berger, 2026
  • Versnellen van de planfase bij woningbouwprojecten: een studie naar knelpunten en oplossingsrichtingen · TNO, 2026

Briefings on other themes that touch on this one

These briefings belong to another theme but also cover processes and process change.